Dozens of women from the Marshall Islands are traveling to the U.S. every year to adopt out their babies to U.S. families despite government efforts to crack down on this unique baby pipeline. We examine the people and practices that are continuing to perpetuate the problem.

University of Hawaii researchers tracked dozens of hungry tiger
sharks to a remote atoll in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine
National Monument this summer. Civil Beat photojournalist Alana
Eagle documents the expedition in this multimedia special report.

A Civil Beat Investigation: In Hawaii’s workers’ comp system, people with long-lasting injuries are often forced to battle doctors hand-picked by insurance companies to get treatment and disability payments.

The ‘Enemy Of The People’ Is Actually Doing Its Job

More than 200 news organizations across the nation are publishing editorials Thursday denouncing President Donald Trump for his venomous views of much of the news media.

Count Honolulu Civil Beat among them.

Critical reporting is emphatically not, as Trump seemingly implies when he cast journalists as “enemies of the people,” a form of treason.

The kind of work that Civil Beat and other independent press perform day after day — asking tough questions, pushing to make government more open, holding public officials accountable for actions that affect average citizens — is the bread and butter of democracy.

Attacking reporters and news organizations is as old as our republic. But the level to which Trump has taken those verbal assaults has reached new, dangerous levels.

That’s why so many journalism organizations — from small-town newspapers to nonprofit journalism sites to the The New York Times — feel it is imperative to stand up publicly against the bullying from the White House and in support of the value of a free press.

We understand that speaking out against the president’s rhetoric risks the appearance of taking his bait.

But Trump has weaponized his crusade to a degree that it threatens the ability of the media to do its job effectively.

Another poll released in July showed 45 percent of Republicans surveyed favored giving the government power to shut down “biased” or “inaccurate” media organizations.

We also fear that it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, given the brutal verbal assaults on reporters covering Trump’s political rallies. It’s no wonder that our president seems to identify with autocrats and despots in Russia, Turkey and the Philippines, where journalists are routinely jailed and even assassinated.

At home, national reporters covering the administration routinely face threats and abuses on social media.

But the angry tone coming from the White House impacts those of us covering local news far from the polarized politics of Washington, D.C. Even in Hawaii, media including Civil Beat are experiencing a notable ramping up of rhetoric against the press.

The principle of an independent press is just as important in Hawaii as it is elsewhere.

That’s why we are proud to report on the City Council or government agencies or businesses in a fair and impartial manner. We have no obligations to any special interest, and we strive to maintain high journalistic ethics and standards. We’re certainly fair game for criticism of our mistakes or excesses. But our reporters and editors go to great lengths to get the facts right.

Civil Beat’s manifesto clearly states our mission:

We need to be unafraid to challenge the status quo. We need to insist on honest, ethical and effective government at all levels. We need to keep an eye on the people in power and act on behalf of those who find themselves powerless. That means we need to be a watchdog of business interests in addition to government. We can’t be afraid to question the actions or motives of those in positions of influence, whether in the private or public sector.

That’s not an anti-Trump stance and its certainly not unpatriotic. That’s our job.

Sue Cross, the executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News of which Civil Beat is a member, aptly summed up what’s at stake not just for the press, but for the public.

“The ‘news media’ isn’t some monolithic thing. It’s a voice of your community, and you can be part of it. We hope you will. Because a free press doesn’t belong to the President. It belongs to you.”

Thoughts on this or any other story? Write a Letter to the Editor. Send to news@civilbeat.org and put Lettedr in the subject line. 200 words max. You need to use your name and city and include a contact phone for verification purposes. And you can still comment on stories onour Facebook page.

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The only news outlet in Hawaii dedicated to public affairs reporting.
Our mission is to engage and educate the community on important public issues through in-depth reporting, explanatory and investigative journalism, analysis and commentary.

Best Overall News Site

Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 7th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter.